2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff
2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff Indian Codename: Operation Parakram | |
---|---|
Part of the Indo-Pakistani border |
798 killed[3]
1,874 casualties altogether[4][5][6] (per Indian government)
1,295 civilian casualties between 2001—2005 in mine-related incidents (per an Indian NGO survey)[8]
The 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff was a military standoff between India and Pakistan that resulted in the mass mobilisation of both nations' military forces along the India-Pakistan border and the disputed region of Kashmir. This was the second major military standoff between the two countries since they both publicly declared their nuclear capabilities.
The standoff was initiated by India after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants attacked the Indian Parliament; Pakistan patronages the two outfits but rejected India's allegations of complicity. In what was codenamed Operation Parakram, almost 800,000 Indian soldiers were mobilised to the Pakistan border, with an implicit threat of attack.[10] The mobilization was slow allowing Pakistan time to counter-mobilise its own troops and escalate the risks of a full-fledged war; besides, Pakistan repeatedly asserted a willingness to use nuclear weapons in case of a war. After a terse seven months, Indian troops retreated to their cantonments, and Operation Parakram was aborted.[10]
Scholars describe Parakram as a costly and ill-conceived campaign; it failed to achieve its objectives.[11][12]
Prelude
On the morning of 13 December 2001, a cell of five armed men attacked the Parliament of India by breaching the security cordon at Gate 12. The five men killed seven people before being shot dead by the Indian Security Forces.
World leaders and leaders in nearby countries strongly condemned the attack on the parliament, including Pakistan. On 14 December, the ruling Indian National Democratic Alliance blamed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for the attack. Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani claimed, "we have received some clues about yesterday's incident, which shows that a neighboring country, and some terrorist organizations active there are behind it",[13] in an indirect reference to Pakistan and Pakistan-based militant groups. The same day, in a démarche to Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, India demanded that Pakistan stop the activities of LeT and JeM, apprehend the organisation's leaders and their access to all financial assets.[14] Following the Indian Government's statements, Pakistan put its military into full combat readiness the same day.
The spokesman for the Pakistani military's public media wing (ISPR), Major-General Rashid Qureshi, said that the attack on the Indian parliament was a result of India's efforts to start a conflict with Pakistan, claiming that "Those [Indians] who can kill thousands of defenseless people in Kashmir can resort to such tactics to gain international sympathy. We demand the international community probe this attack independently to know the truth." while another senior official maintained that India's failure to solve internal problems have caused them to blame Pakistan for everything without cause, stating "Why have the Indians rejected the U.S. government’s offer to send an FBI team to investigate the attack on the parliament?"[15]
On 20 December, amid calls from the United States,
January offensive
Planning
The troop deployment to India's western border was expected to take three to four weeks, accordingly, the military action involving a limited offensive against the terrorists' training camps in Pak administered Kashmir was planned by the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security for the second week of January 2002. It would start with an airstrike by the Indian Air Force's Tiger Squadron to attack zones with a large concentration of camps. Special forces of the Indian Army would then launch a limited ground offensive to further neutralize the terrorist camps and help to occupy the dominant positions on the LoC. 14 January 2002, was decided as the tentative D-day.[18]
According to the Indian strategy, a limited strike in the
The CCS had weighed in the possibility of Pakistan launching an all-out offensive as a response to the Indian strikes. The intelligence assessment suggested that the Pakistani Army was not well prepared. This further minimized the chances of Pakistan launching a full-scale war. The Indian plans were strengthened by a strong economy with low inflation, high petroleum, and forex reserves. Finance minister Yashwant Sinha announced that the Indian economy was prepared for war, in spite of being the final option. The limited strike served as a tactical option. The troop build-up signaled "India's seriousness" to the international community. If Pakistan's strategy did not change then India would have no other option.[18]
Military confrontations
In late December, both countries moved ballistic missiles closer to each other's border, and mortar and artillery fire was reported in Kashmir.[19] By January 2002, India had mobilized around 500,000 troops and three armored divisions on Pakistan's border, concentrated along the Line of Control in Kashmir. Pakistan responded similarly, deploying around 300,000 troops to that region.[2] The tensions were partially defused after Musharraf's speech on 12 January promising action on terror emanating from Pakistan.[18]
Artillery duels were commonplace during the protracted military confrontations. In one such instance, well over 40 Pakistani soldiers perished on Point 5353 near Dras when Indian troops from nearby Point 5165, Point 5240 and Point 5100 commenced artillery fire on the Pakistani post, rendering the Pakistanis unable to reinforce their troops.[20]
Diplomacy
India initiated its diplomatic offensive by recalling
Pakistan picked up the war signals and began mobilization of its military and initiated diplomatic talks with US President
Musharraf's speech
On 8 January 2002,
Indian decision
The Indian Prime Minister Atal B. Vajpayee though skeptic of the seriousness of Musharraf's pledges, decided not to carry out the military attack planned for 14 January.[21]
Kaluchak massacre
Tensions escalated significantly in May 2002. On 14 May, three suicidal terrorists attacked an army camp at
On 15 May, PM Vajpayee was quoted in the Indian Parliament saying "Hamein pratikar karna hoga (We will have to counter it)."
The Indian Cabinet had little belief that diplomatic pressure could stop Pakistan's support for the militants in Kashmir. India accused Pakistan that it was failing to keep its promise on ending the cross-border terrorism.[18] Musharraf's follow-up to his speech on 12 January was observed by India as weak and disingenuous. Pakistan did not extradite the terrorist leaders demanded by India, and Lashkar was allowed to continue its operations in Pakistan as a charity with a new name. During the spring, jihadi militants started crossing the Line of Control again.[21]
June Offensive
Planning
On 18 May, Vajpayee reviewed the preparedness with the Defence Minister Fernandes, Director-General Military Operations and Military Intelligence Chief. The CCS met and favored taking military action against terrorists in Pakistan. A limited military action similar to the one planned in January was not considered viable as Pakistan had strengthened its forces on the LoC. Any action limited to Pakistan administered Kashmir would only have limited military gains. Indian military favored an offensive along the Indo-Pak border that will stretch the Pakistani troops and provide India access to Pakistan administered Kashmir.[18]
The Indian armed forces accordingly prepared the plan to target the war-waging capabilities of Pakistan and destroy the terrorist camps. The battle canvas planned for June was larger than the one planned in January. The Indian Air Force along with the 1 Strike Corps of India would initiate an attack in Shakargarh bulge to engage Pakistan's Army Reserve North (ARN) that was spread from Muzaffarabad to Lahore. This would engage Pakistan's key strike corp while Indian strike formations from Eastern Command would carry out the offensive at the Line of Control and capture the strategic positions used by the terrorists for infiltrations. The period considered was between 23 May and 10 June.[18]
Military confrontations
During the end of May 2002, the Indian and Pakistani armed forces continued to be fully mobilized. The tenor of statements published in the
On 18 May, India expelled the Pakistani High Commissioner. That same day, thousands of villagers had to flee Pakistani artillery fire in Jammu.[23] On 21 May, clashes killed six Pakistani soldiers and 1 Indian soldier, as well as civilians from both sides.[24] On 22 May, Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee announced to his troops to prepare for a "decisive battle".[25]
Between 25 and 28 May, Pakistan conducted 3 missile tests. India reviewed its nuclear capability to strike back.[18] On 7 June the Indian Air Force lost an unmanned aerial vehicle near Lahore, which Pakistan claimed to have shot down.[26]
Threat of nuclear war
As both India and Pakistan are armed with nuclear weapons, the possibility a
Diplomacy
Vajpayee contacted the leaders of the global community including Bush, Blair,
Attempts to defuse the situation continued. The Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to mediate a solution, but in vain.[30]
Restraint was urged by the global community as there were fears that Pakistan would proceed to use its nuclear weapons in the face to counter its conventional asymmetry as compared to the Indian armed forces. In April, in an interview to German magazine Der Spiegel Musharraf had already hinted that he was willing to use nukes against India. Pakistan's nuclear threats led to US Secretary of State Powell contacting Musharraf at five occasions in the last week of May and reading the riot act.[18]
On 5 June 2002, American Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited Pakistan. He asked Musharraf if he would "permanently" end cross-border infiltration and help to dismantle the infrastructure used for terrorism. On 6 June 2002, Musharraf 's commitment was conveyed to Powell, and to India after his arrival. On 10 June 2002, Powell announced Musharraf's promise to the global community, after which India called off its strike plans.[18]
A full-frontal invasion would have translated into war. Political logic implied it was better to give another chance to Musharraf. The military build-up on the border by India in January and June had forced both the international community and Pakistan into action.[18]
July–August strikes
On 29 July 2002 for the first time after the end of the Kargil war, India used air power to attack positions held by the Pakistani forces at Loonda Post on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the Machil sector. Eight IAF
Towards the end of the protracted military standoff, in a surreptitious operation, India's
Pakistani army troops stationed near the post in the Kupwara sector's Kel area of the LoC had been shelling the Indian positions across the LoC. India suspected a troop build-up situation near the border post that was similar to Kargil. Indian army planned retaliation by sending troops to attack the Pakistani posts. The initial ground attack to retake the post failed, with the Indian army suffering 11 casualties.[35][36] Later on, after deliberations with the then Army Chief, General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, the plan was modified and instead of only a ground assault, the decision was made to first attack Pakistani positions using the IAF jets followed by a ground assault by the Indian Special Forces. At 1:30 pm on 2 August, IAF's LGB capable Mirage 2000 H fighter aircraft loaded with laser-guided weapons bombed the Pakistani bunkers located in the Kel. The attack destroyed the bunkers with an unknown number of casualties.[18][37]
Easing of tension
While tensions remained high throughout the next few months, both governments began easing the situation in Kashmir. By October 2002, India had begun to demobilise their troops along her border and later Pakistan did the same, and in November 2003 a cease-fire between the two nations was signed.[38]
Casualties
The Indian casualties were up to 1,874, including 798 fatal.[3][4] Pakistani casualties were not divulged.
Cost of standoff
The Indian cost for the buildup was $3 billion to $4 billion[39][40] while Pakistan's was $1.4 billion.[41] The standoff led to a total of 155,000 Indians and 45,000 Pakistanis displaced, per Pakistani media estimates.[9]
One of the reasons for the failure of Operation Parakram is described to be the slow mobilisation of 500,000 troops. It took nearly three weeks for India to completely move 500,000 troops, 3 armoured divisions, and other supporting units to the border. The delay allowed Pakistan to move its own 300,000 troops along with the supporting units to the border. Lacking strategic surprise, Indian military decided to withdraw its troops.[42][43]
On 5 November 2011, former Indian naval chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar, claimed that operation Parakram lacked clear objectives. He described the operation as a "punishing mistake" for India. Moreover, he said that Operation Parakram, may in fact have encouraged both Pakistan and China to increase cross-border violations. Had India tried a similar operation against China, it would have been a fatal blunder for India.[44][45]
See also
- Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
- 2002 Eastern Mediterranean event
- India-Pakistan relations
- Kaluchak Incident
References
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The tension continued for a period of 10 months and it had impact on both nations. Reportedly India lost about 2,000 troops while Pakistan suffered less than three dozen deaths.
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